Mounting Tail Tips (Oct. 18th, 2002)

This is the result of my tailtip mounting method:

The perforated aluminum strip is soaked with epoxy anf then a single layer of glass weave (transparent in this picture) is bonded on top. The aluminum strip is dimpled and will be flush-riveted.to the tailskin. Now I'm playing with the idea also to bond the tip to the rear rib. This way no rivet would go thru the carbonfibre part (composites and rivets don't like each other...).

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Vertical Tail Takes Shape (Oct. 11th, 2002)

My inspector was here yesterday. He checked all control surfaces and found ~no~ failures! So I'm legal now to close the tail parts.

For the first time: The vertical tail in full size - impressive. Note the perfect fit of the carbonfibre tip (thanks Kristen for the superb work). Per the Sonex plans the tip will be sandwiched between the fin and the upper fin-rib. This would cause a little step from the aluminum skin to the fiber tip. This is not to my taste. I want t as flush as possible.

So after some thinking I came to this solution:

A-B are a strips of 0.025" 6061-T6. The top part (A) if the strip is perforated and epoxied to the inside of the tip. The lower parts 'B' are flush riveted to the vertical tail skin. This way there will be no noticeable intersection between skin and tip. The same way I will install the horizontal tips.

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Aileron Counterweight Fitting (Oct. 6th, 2002)

Have assembled the counterweight fittings today

Note the (solid) rivets are facing factory head to the inside (contrary to the plans). It's much easier to buck the rivets this way.

An U-channel holds the the two 'cheaks'apart. The plans suggests to assemble the 'U' from two angles (for good reason). My solution is a cleaner installation, however I had to bend five of this Us until one came out with the correct dimension. The outside of the U is polished mirror-like. Also note the knife-sharp ends of the 'cheeks'. The plans shows this parts clipped, however a few grams at the far outside of the lever arm maks a very effective balancing job.

The test installation caused one more time an adrenaline shock. The flanges cannot be riveted by neither the pneumatic nor the hand-operated rivet puller. The 'cheek' is in the way and there is NO WAY to set these pulled rivets with my tools available. I'm quite lost now. I will look around for another puller which is not wider than 16mm.